Machine for making book-covers.



No, 834,011. PATENTED 0011.23, 1906. I 0. LEFFLER.

MACHINE FOR MAKING BOOK COVERS.

APPLIOATIOH FILED DEC. 30. 1904.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

wwmeooco 35 al'fo'cuu No 834,011. v PATENTED OCT. 23,1906.

' G.LEFFLER.

MACHINE FOR MAKING BOOK COVERS.

- APPLICATION FILED DEO.30| 1904.

' e SHEETS-SHEETS.

- PATENTED OCT. 23, 1906.

C. LEFFLER.

- MACHINE FOR MAKING BOOK COVERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30. 1904.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

r I. I I I xv Rm 0 1 3 2 m G 0 D E T N E T A P O. LEFPLER. MACHINE FOR MAKING BOOK COVERS.

. APPLICATION TILED DBO. 30, 1904.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Q 8mm rl'on M W @513 QHOMIM No. 884,011. V PATENTED OCT. 23, 1906.

- O. LEFPLER.

MACHINE FOR MAKING BOOK COVERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.30. 1904.

' e SHEETS-SHEET e.

i I I L- 1 UNITED; STATES CHARLES LE' FLER,

or NEW YORK, ii. Y.

MACHINE OR MAKING. BOOK -COVERS.

To all whom it mar/concern; 2

Be it known that 1, CHARLES LEFFLER, a citizen of the United. States, residing at the city of New York, in the borough ofBrooklyn and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Book-Covers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. Y

This invention is a machine for folding or hemming the edges of flexible book-covers. These flexible book-covers usually consist of a rectangular sheet of leather, imitation leather, cloth, or like flexible,material, upon the inside "of which is pasted a thin sheet or sheets of paper, serving as a reinforce or linlng for the cover; The lining of-stifl' covers is usually pasteboard or other ri id material that affords hard edges over w 'ch to fold or hem the. edges of the outer cover; but in flexible book-covers this lining is so thin and light that its'edge does not furnish a good support against which to foldthe edges of the cover. Hence some. difiiculty arises. in

the manufacture of flexible covers.

The-object of my invention is ,to produce a machine which will fold the edges of the outer cover inward over the edges of thethin linin and to perform this work accurately and evenly, producing a neatfinisned article.

The improved-machine comprises a movable table upon which the prepared cover is placed, a follower arranged above the table and provided with movable'blades which serve-as temporary edgesiormargins over which the edges of the cover are folded, and means ,for withdrawing said temporary edges while simultaneously folding and-compress ing the edges of the cover to complete the operation; The coverswhen inserted in the machine have a coating of-adhesive material on their edges, which secures the fold m.'position after it is made.

The details of the machine will be described. in connection with the accompanying draw-- ings, andthe features. of inventlon will be particularly pointed out in the claims. I

Figure 1 is a view of the inner face'of-a flexible book-cover, showing its condition when inserted'in themachine. Fig. 2-is a similar view of the complete cover. Fig.3

shows the completed cover. folded into-the,

form of a book, the leaves of the'book being Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed December 30,1904. Serial No. 239,007-

iatented 0a. 23, 1906.

and 8 indicate conventionally the different steps of, the operation through which the cover is passed in the machine. Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the machine along the line a: a; of Fig. 10, parts being shownin elevation. Fig. 10 is a plan of that part of thema-chine shown below the line y y of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a section of the machine, taken at right ansupposed to be bound in. Figs. 4, 5, 6,7,

gles to Fig. 9 and showing parts in elevation.

Fig. 12 is a plan, with parts broken away and other parts omitted, of the bed-plate and die. Fig. 13 is a section of the die and follower,

showing the parts in a position opposite to that in which they are shown in Fig. 9. Fig.

14 is a-plan, with parts broken away, of the bottom of the follower. Fig. 15is a plan or projection of one of the cams. Fig. 16 is a detail. Fi 17 is a face view of the main gear, and lg. 18 shows'two details.'

-Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference, 1 indicates the frame or bedlate of the machine, provided with a cylin' rical projection 2 on its under side. Fixed upon the bed-plate concentrically with this projection is a circular die 3, havin a square cena sh ht countersink 4, equal in width to the tral orifice, around the edges 0 which there is widt 'of the edge of the book-cover to be folded over. The orifice at the. center insteadof being square as shown, maybe 0b long or any other shape corresponding to that of the outline of the. book-cover. As

most book-covers have rounded corners, thisorifice, with the countersink around theedge,

1s likewise provided with rounded corners.

Within. thisorifice is located a verticallymovable table 5, accuratelyfitting the orifice,

but having suflicient clearance to move a freely therein. This table is carried at the" ving abearingin i normally pressed' u per end of a plunger 6, s t e projection 2 an bein upwardby a spring? he plunger at its lower end rejects through the bearing and is engaged y a fork 8 on the lever 9,.pivoted toa hereinafter-appear. -Thedie 3 is provided racket 10. This lever carries a roller- 11 on its upper side for a purpose'which will too opposite each side 'of'the -central orifice with entirely through its walls from the inner ori outer periphe In each passage-wag: cated a flat p lhte' or folder -12, Eac

horizontal f'passage-ways extendin ce'tothem 1. plate I 1 fills its" assage-wayand is guided therein, its

inner e gebeing normally a part ofthe wall of the orifice. Two of these plates have ra-' dial exteriorlugs 13, Fig. 10, to which are attached outwardly-extending rods 14, moving in bearings and carrying an adjustable nut 16. In addition to the four plates 12 there are four other plates alternating therewith. These latter plates are indicated by 3 17 and they project through similar but small assage-ways through the die 3 and along t e diagonal lines of the orifice, so that the inner ends of said plates-will move in and out acrossmthe corners of the orifice. The plates 12' and 17 all move inward at the same time'and likewise outward at the same time, and in order to accomplish this the motion which is imparted to the plates 12 in the man-.

nor to be hereinafter described is transmitted to the plate 17 through the rods 14 and nuts 16, the latter being connected to links 18 and bell-cranks 19-, which bell-cranks are connected with the outer ends of the plates 17.

This system of levers, it will be seen, causes the plates 17 to move inward at the same tune that the plates 12 partake of a similar motion. All of these plates are in the same horizontal plane. Opposite the middle of each of the plates 12 an oblong opening- 20 is formed in the die 3 above and below the plate, and. through thisopening a post 2.1, carried. by the plate, projects upward and downward. The lower end of each post carlies a. roller 22, which projects into an annularcam-groove 2.3- in a. wheel or rotary element. 24.. (See dotted lines, Figs. 10 and 122.) rotary element surrounds and bears. upon the cylindrical projection 2:, and its opposite or bottom face is provided with bevel gearteeth 25, engaged by the drivingpinion 26 of the machine.

the-plunger 6 projects through this wheel 24 wardly and inwardly by the construction in Fig. 18,. wherein it will be seen that the nut 31" has: an annular groove into. which a lip; 32

fits, and as the lower end of the cheek rests.

a ainsttheflat top: ofv the 3v a wrench app 'ed to the nut 31 force the screw inward or outward without disconnecting-the cheek. Nut 313 looks the cheek at any point of adjustment. The function of thecanr is 'tothrow the plates 12' and, through theconnections described, the -plates 17,. together with the cheeks. 3.9. inward and outward simuttaneousliy. The: upper end ofthe; post. 21 and the corresponding cheek 30 are The bearing for omitted from the front side of the machine, asshown in Fig. 11, to leave that portion of .the die and table'unobstructed, so that an 0 erator can feed the covers into the mac 'ne without difficulty. The function that would be ordinarily performed by this omitted post and check is accomplished in another way, as will hereinafter appear.

At the back of the machine a bracket 34 rises and is provided with a vertical guide 35 for a plunger 36, which extends downward through the guide concentricallyabove the center of the orifice in the die and has attached toits lower enda horizontal rectangular plate 3.7 carrying on its under face 0 posite each straight edge, respectively, t e four plates 38 and opposite thecorners, respectively, the four plates 39. Each of these plates is attached to the main plate 37 by means of a dovetail guide in which it can slide radially. Each plate is provided with a hole 40, registering with an elongated hole 41 in the main plate 37, through both of which the end of a lever 42 pro ects from above, there being one lever for each of the plates 38 and 39. The levers 42 are pivoted to cars 43, projecting from the sides of the plunger 36,. and all of the levers except the one diiectlyin front of the plunger 36 are connected with small horizontal plun ers 44 and are swung upon their pivots wen said plungers are moved. The-'plungers are housed in small cylinders 45, carried by the plate 37., which also contain springs 46, adapted to force theplungers outward and carry the levers to the position showninFig. 9 The lever 4:2llI1II18- diately in front of the plunger3J6-isconnected with the corresponding lever at. the back of the plunger'by link 47, Fig. 11, extending through a passage in the plunger-and connecting the upper end of one lever with the lower end of the other, so that whenone lever is moved inward the other willbe likewise moved inward.

The outer edges of all of the plates 38 and 39' are thinned down to a short knife-edge. The edges of the plates 38 are straight tocorrespond with the straight edges of the bookcover, while the ed es of the plates 39 are curved to correspon with the curved corners of the book-cover. When the plates are the outermost or distended position, they occupya. space the same size; and shape as the table 5 and will fit neatly in the rectangular orifice, but when they are contracted -or drawn. inward they leave a mar around the table equal' in. Width to the width of the rim or fold to be madeon the book-cover.

The plate 37,. with the arts itrarries, I have designated as a fol ower. lit has a somewhat irregular movement in a vertical direction, obtained through a lever 48,. link 49, cranlr 50, rock-shaft 5'1, crank 52, roller 53, and cam 28. Theroller projects into the cam, and the oscillations imparted by the ICC - latter through the roller and crank 52 to the shaft51 are transmitted to the plunger 36 and follower 37. The cam is constructed to lower the follower into the orifice of the die, then to lift it slightly, again lower it, and finallyelevate'it to the positionishown in Figs. 9 and-11. This. it does during each quarter-rotation of the wheel24. Y The driving mechanism comprisesa loose 'r'o pulley 54 on shaft 55, which carries the inion 26. This pulley can be locked to an released from the shaft by means of a. clutch *mechan'ism'consisting. of a collar 56, havin an annular groove 57, containing a beveled r 5- .lug' 5'8, projecting into the groove from a bolt 59, occupying atransverse orificein the collar. The spring 60 behind the bolttends to throw it to the right Fig. 10, into thepath oflugs 61 on the loose pulley. Normally the lug 56 is heldto the left by the beveled point of a lever 62, which lies in the oove and between the In and an inners oulder of the collar. This ever isprovided with a handle 63 and is pivoted at 64, by which its beveled end can be lifted out of the groove to release. the bolt. When this is done, the bolt springs out and engages one of'the lugs 61, and thepower is transmitted to the machine from the pulley. A'second lever 66, corres ending in 0 all respectsv to-lever 62, is provided and fitted with a handle 65 to normally rest in .the groove of the collar on the opposite side from the lever 62 and pointing in the opposite direction, so that when the machine is started by lifting lever 66 out of the groove the main shaft is permitted to make a half-turn only, because the lu 56 is en aged b the second 4 lever and the olt 59 tirown 4 ack. Thus the machine has an intermittent movement 0 of a half-turn of its main shaft at intervals controlled {by [the operator, This clutch mechanism is ave common device in other 7. machines and no 0 aim is made to it herein. The operation is as follows: The operator 5 feeds into-the machine the book-covers prepared in the manner indicated in F 1' that is, with the edges out flat,1covere with adhesive material and with the cornersjslit or gored to compensate for the smaller space isp aced upon-the table 5 with its edges resting in the countersink 4, the purpose of t {countersink bein primarily to enable t "e operator to quic y find-the pro er osition in the machine for the cover. 'l he' c utch is then threwn in and the main shaft allowed to make a half-tum in-the'manner before described. Cam 28'c'auses the follower to be moved down into contact with the cover and 6o forces the table downward through the orifice in the dieito the position shown in Fig. 5. Thl S causes the edges -of the cover to be i turned up at right anglesall around, a sharp bend being made against the edges of the blades 38"and 39. he follower stops ata willoccupy when folded in. The cover.

point where the edge ofthe blades are im'- :mediately below the folding-plates 12 and 17.

Next cam 23 acts upon all of the rollers 22 on the posts21, drawm-g the lates 12 and 17. inward. and turning the e ges of the cover overinward, as shown-in Fig. 6. After this line alon which the edge of the-cover will bend or old,- the further inward movement initial movement, which-serves to define the the blades thus re'movedfrom under the edge .j

of the cover, so that the latter canbe flattened down against the body of the cover. When the edges of the blades are finally clear of the edges of the plates, the rise 66 in cam 28 ermits spring 65; attached'to plunger 36, to iift the follower suddenly and allow the table to strike a blowa ainst the under sides of the lates. (See ig. 7.) This compresses t e foldiand'causes the adhesive materialgto hold- Next the descent 67 in cam 28 again lowers the follower and forces the table below the lates 12 17, and on the final rise of the cam t e fold is a second time com-' pressed byv the impact of the table against the plates, cam23 withdraws plates 12 and 17, permitting the table to rise to the first position, (shown in Fig. 8,) and in order that this motion be not made too' suddenlythe roller 11 on lever 9 engages an incline of one Ioo of the earns 29, which retards'ithe stroke of y the table. At the same timethe follower rises to the. position shown in Fig. 4 by action v of cam 28. The rotary element 24 makes a quarter-turn at each half-tum of the pinion 26. Therefore the cam 23 and the camj28 are four-part cams, one part of thecam 28 acting atjoach motion of the machine, while all four arts of cam 23 act, respectively, upon the our plates 12. at'eac-h movement of the machine.

To allow blades 38 and 39 to remain stationary while the plates 12 and 17 make their initial movement, there is a slight loss of I I 5 v and the ends of lungers 44. Y Upon the withmotion between the face of the cheeks 30 drawal of the p ates 12 and 17 it is evident that theblades 28 and 29-are thrust outward by the springs 46. Figk13 shows the o'sition of the parts atthe-coinpletiono the foldin and just before the follower rises from' theta le.. r

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a maehinefor folding the edges of book-covers, the combination of a die havin g as a central opening; a table movable axially v in and closely fitting such opening, means for imparting such movement to the table, a follower also movable axially in and closely fitting such opening,- the follower being movsuch members can be brought to ether to clamp a cover betweenthem and t en both Y in and close y fitting moved down into the opening in the die tobendup the edges, of the cover, and foldingplates eratingsimultaneouslyinv four p/erpendicu ar' directions while said parts are in engagement with one another. 2. In a machine for folding the edges of book-covers,- the combination of a die having a central 0 ening, a. table movable axially such opening, a'follower also movable axial y in and closely fitting such opening, the follower being movableindependently of the table, whereby such members can be brought to ether to clamp a cover between them and t en both moved down into the opening in the die to bend up the edges of the cover, and folding-plates op erating in a single horizontal plane and arranged to fold over the bent-up edges of the cover.

face'of the follower.

3. In amachinefor folding theedges of book-covers, a die having a. central. opening, a table movable axially in and closelyfitting such opening, a follower'alsomovable closely in and fitting such opening, the follower being movable independently of" the table, whereby such members can be-brought together to clamp a cover between them and then move down into the opening in the die to bend up the edges of the cover, and folding blades adapted to fold the upturned edges of the cover down upon the upper sur- 4. In a machine for folding the ed es of book-covers, the combination of. fo din plates, adie having a central 0 ening, a tab e movable axially in and close y fitting such opening, a follower also movable axially in and closely fitting such 0 ening, the-follower being movable indepen ently of the table, whereby such members can be brought together to clamp a cover between them and then both moved down into the opening in the die to bend up the edges of the cover,

and means to cause the folding plates to thereupon fold the bent-up edges of the-cover down onto the follower, the follower -hav ing movable margins arranged to retreat from such folded edges, the table being also movable to and from the folding-plates to compress the-folded edges of the cover therebetween.

5-.- In a machine for foldingthe edges of book-covers, the combination of a die having a central opening, atable closely fitting-andmovable axially in such opening, a-follower movable axially in the o ening in the die, the

follower being provide with movable marginal blades arranged to normally closely fit the opening in the die, the follower beingmovable independently of tlfe table whereby suoh members can be brought together to clamp-a: cover'between them and then both moved down into the opening in the die to bend up the edges of the cover.

6. In a machine for folding the edges of book-covers, the combination of a diehavin a central opening, a table closely fitting an movable axially in such opening, a follower movable axially in the o ening inrthe die, the follower being provide with movable mar \ginal blades arranged to normally closely fit the o ening in the die, the follower being mova le independently of the table whereby such members can be brought together to clamp a cover/between them and tnen both moved down into the opening in the die to bend up'the edges of the cover, folding-plates in the die movable into its said opening, means for moving said plates tofold down said bent-up edges of the cover, onto the said follower-blades, and means for causing such latter movement to cause the blades to retreat from the folded edges. 1

' 7. In a machine for folding'the edges of book-covers, the combination of a die having a central opening, a table closely fitting and movable axially in such opening, a follower movable axially in the opening in the die, the follower being provided with movable marginal blades arranged to normally closely fit the opening in the die, the follower being movable independently of the table whereby such members can be brought together to clamp a cover between them and then both moved down into the opening in the die to bend up the edges of the cover, folding-plates in the die movable into its said opening,

means for moving said plates to fold down 7 said bent-up edges of the cover onto the said follower-blades, means for causing suchlatter movement to cause the blades to retreat from the folded edges, and means for thereupon moving thetable to compress such folded I resting in the fabbet, anda follower closely fitting the opening in the die and movable to-engage the table and force it and a cover thereon down into'the die thereby folding up- IIC the margins of the cover, and means 'actuated from said driving member for imparting said movements.

. '.9.. Inan edge-folding. machine, the combination of a table, a follower movable to and from the table, a folding-blade movable across the table and having its edge-shar 1y beveled, a movable folding-plate arrange to fold the edge of a cover over said edge of the blade, and means for causing themovement ously with the further advance of the folding-.

r 1 plate, substantielly as set forth. H

ture in the presence of two witnesses.

' I CHAS. LEFFLERQ Witnesses:

FRANK S OBEB I WALDO M. CHAPIN.

Y I In witness whereof I slibsci'ihe my sighae 

